


Change

by angelsbow



Series: FE rarepair week [6]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem: Shin Monshou no Nazo | Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem
Genre: F/F, mentions of a bunch of characters but it doesn't matter, mercedes in the fic but she's not a focus, s/o to like the 5 people that like archanea, sharena briefly appears but not enough for a tag, spoilers for katarina's backstory but if you dont care about playing fe12 then ignore this warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-25 16:58:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20915480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelsbow/pseuds/angelsbow
Summary: Maybe Katarina could makeup for her sins. Maybe she was allowed to have a second chance at living.Written for FE rarepair week day 6. Prompt: change





	Change

**Author's Note:**

> This goes out to like the five people that played fe12 and like kris/katarina...though this is really katarina centric. God I wanna replay fe12 it's so good.
> 
> ALSO THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE POSTED YESTERDAY BUT WELL...I TOOK FOREVER ON DAY 5 SO. YEAH.

She still had Elfire in her hands when she appeared in the world of Askr. Katarina was baffled when she almost cast a spell in the bright outside world. Mere moments ago, she was in a castle- getting knighted. Now she was on some weird stone platform. There was someone in front of her. 

"Welcome!" A voice greeted her.

"Where...am I?" Katarina asked the blonde girl standing in front of her. 

"You're in Askr- you've been summoned. I'm Sharena," Sharina happily greeted her.

"Um...Katarina...?"

What in the blazes was going on? Was this just a dream? She does remember having trouble sleeping the prior night before...maybe this is just a dream that turned into something bizarre. Soon she'll wake up and it will be morning. And it will be time to be knighted again with the 7th platoon...and time for her betrayal.

"You look distraught? Is everything ok?" Sharena frowned, but her expression changed quickly as she realized something a second later. "OH, I know! This is probably really overwhelming. Are you hungry? I can explain any questions you have over a meal." 

Well...if she was in a dream. She might as well enjoy and do whatever. Katarina didn't have a lot of dreams, but sometimes she had nightmares. Her nightmares have cleared up a bit ever since she enrolled to be an Altean knight. 

* * *

Sharena explained to her what the world of Askr is over tea and biscuits. She told her that summoning brought lots of folks from different worlds, meaning that she could find people alike from her world. She thinks she's seen the whitewing sisters in the castle, but they did not seem to know her. Not that they tried to talk to her- but they didn't give her much of a glance. She was alone, a stranger in this world. A thought like this would have normally scared her but...it almost felt comforting. Like she could almost have a different life. A life that was not filled with murder. A life where she could...help people. A life where her fingers didn't sting every time she cast a spell to incinerate someone. 

Katarina didn't feel like she deserved a chance like this but...Sharena's kindness warmed her heart. She wanted to stay here. Even for a little bit. Maybe she could repent for her sins just a little bit before she had to go back. 

She was not a religious person, but for once, she wanted to pray to Naga. She had so many sins to confess for. Erimiya must be furious with her for failing her mission. 

As she was about to pour her heart out to the Goddess that didn't even exist in this world, someone interrupted her.

"May I join you?" a gentle voice asked her. 

"Oh...help yourself." Katarina wasn't praying seriously anyways. Maybe she looked ridiculous among the actual religious heroes who believed in gods and faith. 

"I can't help but notice, you're new here aren't you?"

"I just got here yesterday," she confirmed it to the girl.

"Oh my, how exciting a new recruit! I'm Mercedes," she gave Katarina a warm smile. Something about her radiated warmth and comfort. It reminded her of Kris...

"Katarina," she told Mercedes. 

"Do you like to pray?" Mercedes inquired. "I myself like to pray to Seiros. I grew up in a church, so I'm quite fond of praying." 

Seiros...she did not recognize either of those names. She was definitely not from Archanea. Mercedes looked like she was wearing some sort of uniform. It was not a uniform she recognized, not that she had much to reference to anyways. 

"Oh no...I'm not religious. I don't know much about Naga, the god from my world..." Katarina admitted to Mercedes. "I was simply just confessing my sins. I've done many awful things..."

"I may not know much about you Katarina, but I'm sure you're not as awful as you think you are," Mercedes reassured her.

If only Mercedes knew who she was talking to. She was a murderer. She's done a lot of awful things. Murder. Lot's of murder. She was raised to be an assassin, a tool-- nothing more. It was a pitiful existence. Sometimes she wondered if death would be a kinder option than taking all these people's lives. She wishes she could be as crass as Clarisse was when it came to taking the lives of others, but Katarina couldn't help but do carry a heavy heart with all the things she's done.

"Is it truly okay for me to walk among all these heroes?" Katarina couldn't help but to admit her thoughts out loud. Did she seek validation? An answer? Comfort? From a complete stranger. She didn't know.

"Sometimes...the hardest thing for someone to do is forgive themselves." To forgive themselves...but could Katarina do such a thing? Sometimes she was angry about the circumstances she was raised in. Other times she was just too tired. She knew how angry Erimiya became with those who displeased her. She's seen children die in the hands of her. But Erimiya wasn't here. Maybe she could let go. Maybe she could start over. "If you feel like your sins are too heavy, why don't start doing good things to make up for all the bad?" Mercedes suggested to her. 

"Is it okay for me...to start over?" Katarina asked Mercedes, feeling ashamed having to ask her. She felt stupid seeking for some sort of form of validation from someone she didn't know.

"Of course! It's never too late. And if you ever need any help, I'd be more than happy to help you out! You don't have to do this alone."

You don't have to do this alone.

Those words stuck out to Katarina...the life of an assassin was not kind to her. It meant often times that she was alone. To not be alone....that seemed like an unachievable luxury. It's why she treasured her time with the 7th platoon before she betrayed their trust, and stabbed them in the back. 

"Thank you Mercedes," she thanked the girl. For showing her kindness that she didn't deserve. 

* * *

It's been a week since she came to Askr, and Katarina has started to adjust to the life in Askr. 

Was this home to her now? 

Home? What was a home. She did not know the answer to that. She did not grow up having one. The closest thing she got to family was Clarisse and Legion. 

The corner of her eyes noticed blue hair. There's lots of blue hair in the order of heroes, but She knew this hair. Half of it was tied up, while the back hanged loose. It was Kris. Her heart skipped a beat. She did not expect Kris to be here. 

"Kris!" The words left her mouth without much thought. Katarina approached her just like how she always did back when they were training together to become Altean knights. She didn't think about the fact that Kris would be angry at her. At the things she did. For lying to her. For betraying her trust. She was just happy to see Kris just for a second. 

But none of that happened. instead, Kris turned around with a curious expression. "Ah...do I know you?"

Kris...did not recognize her. She felt a bit disappointed. "Ah...no, you just looked like someone I knew..." Katarina has heard of heroes coming from different universes. A Marth of this world could also not be the same Marth from her world-- what a curious phenomenon. Katarina wondered if there was a universe where she was not an orphan, where she wasn't forced to become an assassin...she wondered if such life for her existed.

"Oh I see. Yeah that happens a lot around here," Kris told her. "The other day someone mistook me for Lucina." 

Katarina did not know who that was. She only recognized Prince Marth and Lady Caeda in the sea of endless heroes. Kris was one of the other people she knew, but it seemed like this Kris didn't know her. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe it gave her the selfish miracle for a brand new start. Where their relationship wasn't doomed from the start. It was not a comfort someone like her should indulge in, but she wanted to anyways. 

"Ah I see...I'm still new here."

"Oh no wonder I've never seen you before. if you need any help around the castle, let me know!" Kris gave her a reassuring smile. 

Was it truly okay for her to make a life for herself like this. 

* * *

After two weeks, Kiran put her in a team. The team consisted of Phina: apparently a dancer from Archanea but she has never seen or met her, Lissa: a Ylissean princess who was a healer, and Kris...who apparently was a pegasus knight. This was a surprise for Katarina, to see Kris just casually hop on a pegasus. The Kris she knew swung a sword, but here Kris held a lance with confidence. 

"Do you truly not know who I am?" Katarina couldn't help but to ask Kris that question again while they were marching to some location. Phina and Lissa were busy engaged in some conversation with Kiran, so she figured they could use this time to talk to Kris.

Kris stared at her, her brows furrowed in concentration. "No. Should I? Have we met before? I'm sorry if we have, that's really rude of me to forget about you," Kris apologized, feeling bad.

"Oh nono," Katarina waved her off. "...I just knew you in my world. We were training together to be part of Altean knights," Or at least Kris was, Katarina had no intentions of joining the Altea knights, but she didn't mention that part to her, "we were part of the 7th platoon together." 

"Ah? The 7th platoon? I was in the 5th platoon in my world." 

"I see..." Did that mean they passed each other in passing, but didn't know one another? Did this mean she never joined the Altean knights to infiltrate in Kris' world? Questions ran through her head, curious of what fate Kris' Katarina had. 

"Sorry, I really don't know who you are," Kris apologized once again.

"Oh it's fine, I'm just happy for a chance to reconnect," Katarina told Kris. And it was true. She never thought a day could exist where she could truly lose herself in friendships. It was not a thing for her she could even dare to dream of.

* * *

She cleaned up Kris' wounds from battle while Lissa was busy tending other allies wounds. 

"I thought you said you were a tactician?" Kris asked Katarina out of curiosity. She did not know that Katarina knew first aid.

"I did. But I also knew other skills to make up for my lack of battling skills," this was partly a lie, and partly a truth. She did know first aid, but it was not for the reasons she wanted to. Sometimes assassination missions would get dangerious, and really. You could only rely on yourself in a room full of strangers.

"That's-- ow ow ow that stings," Kris complained.

"Sorry...have to disinfect the wound." 

Times like these reminded her of their time together in the 7th platoon. 

Was she truly allowed to be this happy. 

* * *

"You look happy. Has something good happened?" Mercedes asked as she sipped her tea.

As Kris adjusted to her life in Askr, she managed to somehow make a few friends. Mercedes was one of them. Tea parties between the two of them have become quite often recurrence. Katarina found a strange sense of comfort in Mercedes. She always tried to be the bigger sister for Clarisse, but it felt nice to be on the receiving end. 

"Ah. No," she stared into her tea, the reflection of her face staring back at her. Katarina was still staring at herself, but...she felt different compared to when she got to Askr. "I just feel like...as if the weight off my shoulders is lifting off a bit. I know I have a lot of work to do but...It makes me happy to help people."

"Isn't it rewarding to help others?" Mercedes asked her. 

"Yes. It is," Katarina agreed. This was the only thing she could do to repent for her sins...

* * *

Katarina decided to tell the truth to Kris. She couldn't bare to keep lying. 

To have Kris think she is a good person. That she was a good friend in their world, when all she did was use Kris to get close to Marth so he could die. 

"Kris, have you ever wondered about me?" Katarina asked her.

"In...what way?"

"Well, we are from different worlds aren't we?"

"Yes," Kris confirmed it to her. "And...?"

"Well. What happened before you came to Askr?" Katarina never really dared to ask Kris this question, and she was curious. Kris had no idea who she was, and she found it hard to believe the fact that she attempted to assassinate Prince Marth. 

"Well...The war of of Heroes is over; they threw a celebration and then well. I guess I was here...I hope Marth isn't too worried over me disappearing out of nowhere," Kris frowned at the thought. 

How odd. 

"Are you...sure you've never met me?" Katarina asked Kris once again. Considering the mission Erimiya assigned her, it's impossible that they've not met if Kris is from that far into the future. 

"Maybe..." Kris stared into Katarina's face intensely. "I've seen you in passing while I was training to become a knight but I don't think we've met before," Kris confirmed to her. 

"I see."

"What time did you come from then?" Kris finally asked Katarina the question she should have probably asked her long ago. How many times has Katarina asked her if they knew each other in her world? She can't remember. 

"It seems that the timelines in our respective worlds are completely different. We were in the same platoon in my world, and we became knights together. But the truth is I did not join the Altean Knights out of the desire to protect Altea or Prince Marth," Katarina explained to Kris. 

"Well...I suppose not everyone always joins for noble reasons. The coin for being a knight fairly good."

"That's not it." Oh how she wished it was simple like that. "Actually, my real name is Reese...and I am an assassin. I was on a mission to assassinate Prince Marth...that's why I joined the Altean knights-- it was part of my orders so that I could successfully assassinate Prince Marth." Katarina wanted to add a 'I hope you can forgive me' but truly an assassination attempt on the crown prince is a heavy sin. Not that his life is much more important than any person's, the crime just hung more heavily in terms of legalities. 

"...Is that so?" Kris finally said after a moment of silence.

"Yes...I'm sorry for lying to you. And deceiving you." 

"So...you want to kill my liege," Kris said it as a matter of fact, rather than a question.

"It was part of my orders. I had to," Katarina corrected Kris, though that difference hardly made a difference. An assassination attempt regardless from what place it came from was still an assassination attempt. "I have no intention of harming Prince Marth."

There was a silence between the two of them. Kris finally spoke, "Why are you admitting this to me? I didn't know you in my world."

"I just don't want you to think I was a good friend to you in my world. I was simply using you and the others to get close to Prince Marth. I was meant to betray you from the start. I do not deserve your friendship."

"You tell me you're supposed to kill Marth, and you say you're an assassin, yet...you helped us, and the people of Askr countless times. Prince Marth is alive as well. Seems awfully contradictory to me," Kris pointed out to her. 

"Well...you do have a point." The things she's been doing in Askr are completely the opposite of what she would be doing if she was in Archanea, and listening to Erimiya's orders. "I've...been working to repent my sins. It's the least I can do." 

"Then that's all I need to hear then." Kris seemed to relax, and the tension between them thawed. "If you're working on becoming different, then that's all that matters. Carry your sins on your shoulder, know all the wrongs you've done-- but don't drive yourself under the ground with them. It's not too late to change yourself. You have that choice," Kris told her. 

A choice...she has that choice. Her life often felt like she had no control over anything. Erimiya gave her orders, and she followed. Ever since she came to Askr....she has gained a new sense of freedom. It felt nice. 

"Kris... you are far too kind to me." 

"I'm just being honest. Look. There are far worse people in the world. Those who refuse to think of others, and how they feel, and how their decisions impact others. I think it takes courage to admit that you're wrong, and to want to make amends."

Katarina stayed silent, letting the words sink into her. 

Maybe she was allowed to change herself. Maybe she was allowed to live like this. She felt happy at the thought. 

She could have a second chance in life. 

A life where she wasn't doomed from the start.


End file.
